The German Survey on Volunteering Trend 1999–2014

It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). Up to and including 2009, the surveys were managed and conducted by Kantar Public (formerly TNS Infratest Sozialforschung or Infratest Burke). Since the end of 2011, the scientific management has been in the hands of the German Center of Gerontology (DZA).

The data collection of the fourth wave was conducted by infas Institute for Applied Social Science in 2014. The FWS is based on a representative sample of the resident population of Germany aged 14 and over. Using computer-assisted telephone interviews, the field phases ran from April to November 2014, from the end of April to the end of July 2009, from the end of April to mid-July 2004, and from the beginning of May to the end of July 1999.

The sampling for 2014 is based on a dual-frame approach: around 70 percent of the interviews were conducted via fixed network and just under 30 percent via mobile communications. In the survey years 1999 to 2009, interviews were conducted exclusively via the fixed network. The sampling frame was generated in each case using the random digit dialing method (1999 random last digit method) in accordance with the ADM standard.